Abstract:
A hybrid ventilation system combining both natural and mechanical ventilation has proven
very promising in moderating indoor climate, based on its ability to ensure indoor air qual-
ity with low energy consumption. The system maintains indoor thermal comfort conditions
by switching to mechanical mode whenever natural ventilation is not possible. However,
the application of such a system in severe arid climates is still very limited and challenging,
and almost half the urban peak load for energy demand is used to supply cooling and air-
conditioning in summer. This paper assessed the application of the hybrid ventilation mode
for an educational building in a hot, arid climate, with the aim of reducing the building’s
energy consumption without compromising the occupants’ thermal comfort. A dynamic
simulation was conducted using Integrated Environmental Simulation in a Virtual Environ-
ment building energy software, and the outcomes were validated against actual consump-
tion data over one year. The results were then evaluated for indoor thermal comfort and
energy reduction and showed the potential of the hybrid system to provide energy savings
of 23% across the year. Better energy performance was achieved during the cooler seasons
(33.5%) compared to hot (17.1%). When photovoltaic systems were incorporated, by exam-
ining diferent inclination angles and locations for energy savings and carbon emissions
(CO2) reductions, the outcomes proved that photovoltaic south and a 25° tilt angle recorded
the maximum energy and minimum CO2 emissions annually. This integration of hybrid
ventilation and photovoltaics reduced the building’s energy consumption from 106.1 MWh
to 36.6 MWh, saving almost 85% in total annual energy and cut down the carbon emissions
from 55,227 kgCO2 to 6390 kgCO2
